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D. E. RUGG.

Water Gage.

No. 17,472. Patented June 2, 1857.

N, PETERS, Pnammh m hnr. Wahingmn. me

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DATUS E. RUGG, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND DEXTER N.FORGE.

WATER-GAGE FOR STEAM-BOILERS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 17,472, dated June 2, 1857.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DATUs E. Rose, of the city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented, made, and applied to use a new and useful Mode ofConnecting Transparent Water-Gages to Boilers; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description of theconstruction and operation of the same, reference being had to theannexed drawing, making part of this specification, in which the end ofa boiler is shown, and also my improved gage in section.

In determining the height of water in a boiler various devices have beenresorted to. The gage cocks have been applied to the boiler head itselfand also to a vertical pipe connecting the steam and water space, thedifficulty of which is that the height of water cannot be determined byinspection but requires the cocks to be opened. Another planhas been toconnect a strong vertical glass tube at top and bottom to the steam andwater spaces of the boiler to denote the height of water by inspection,but this is "cry dangerous on account of liability to break underpressure or expansion, or from an accidental blow, and also becomesdiscolored on the inside with sediment from the water and is not easilycleaned, so that the water line is not apparent.

My said invention combines the advantages of both the preceding deviceswithout any of the difficulties attendant on them, and consists in theuse of a metallic pipe connecting from the steam to the water space ofthe boiler, around which a glass tube or cylinder is attached, filledwith water or other suitable liquid, and the location of this cylinderor tube is at such a level as to indicate always the position of thewater line or indicate when the water descends below a given level bythe ebullition produced in the surrounding water by the steam heatconducted through the aforesaid metallic pipe. Thereby all danger frombreaking the glass is avoided and the ordinary gage cocks are dispensedwith and the glass can be cleaned out with great facility wheneverdesired, and a transparent indication of the water level is obtained.

In the drawing a, represents the end of any boiler or other part thereofto which the gage is to be applied.

b, is a metallic pipe connecting at the upper end to the steam space andat the lower end to the boiler as much below the water line asconvenient so as to connect to the coolest part of said boilers. Cocksmay be applied to this pipe at c, and d, if desired.

0, is a small ring or cup surounding the pipe 5, and having a small cockf, by which the contents of the glass cylinder or tube 9 that surroundsthe pipe 6, and is attached to said cup 6, may be emptied for cleaningsaid tube. This tube or cylinder 9 may be left open at the upper end,but I prefer that it be steadied by a cup h, aroundthe pipe 6, in whichis an opening to allow the escape of steam generated by the ebullitionof the water in the tube or cylinder 9 when the water level of theboiler descends below the level of the surface of the liquid in saidcylinder. This opening should be provided with a pipe 2', to facilitatereplenishing and the steam generated in this cylinder g might be takenoff to blow a whistle and give any desired alarm or might pass up into achamber wherein it would condense and run back into the said cylinder.

I do not claim a metallic pipe connecting with the steam and waterspaces of the boiler in itself. Neither do I claim a transparent watergage in itself; but

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent isv The combinationof the metallic pipe connected to the steam and water spaces, with thesurrounding transparent tube or cylinder, to indicate by the ebullitionof the fluid in said cylinder the water level of the boilersubstantially as and for the purposes specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature this eleventh day ofApril, 1857.

DATUS E. RUGG.

Witnesses i LEMUEL W. SERRELL, H. S. LINCOLN.

